Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) is discouraged by the Canadian Grain Commission's (CGC) decision to spend the $130 million surplus on a series of strategic investments. CCGA has repeatedly called on the Minister of Agriculture and the Commissioners to return the money to farmers through a reduction in outward inspection and weighing service fees.
"Farmers bear the cost of CGC-mandated services and the money should be returned to farmers in the same way it was collected, through a reduction in fees," says Jack Froese, CCGA President. "The CGC Surplus Investment Framework fails to place farmers front and centre in the decision and to recognize that the money belongs to farmers."
CCGA is equally perplexed with the CGC's conclusion that support for a fee reduction doesn't exist, as well as the framework's departure from earlier Consultation. The Stakeholder Feedback on Potential Uses for Accumulated Surplus concluded that a "majority of stakeholders supported using the entire surplus, minus a reasonable contingency reserve requirement, to reduce user fees over the 2018-2023 user fee cycle." The proposed producer safeguards are, instead, a complete departure from the earlier consultation.
CCGA represents more than 43,000 canola farmers on national and international issues, policies and programs that impact farm profitability.